This year's annual Hope-Holland Community Day on Saturday, Sept. 6, will feature a new venue.

For the first time, the long-running event's picnic will be held on the east lawn of the college's Richard and Helen DeVos Fieldhouse facing Fairbanks Avenue between Ninth and 11th streets. The day will also feature the sights of Windmill Island; and a home football game with Illinois Wesleyan University.

The picnic alternates between Windmill Island and the Hope campus, and was held at the island in 2007. The Richard and Helen DeVos Fieldhouse opened in the fall of 2005 and was dedicated in January 2006. Previously the picnics on campus were held on the college's Van Raalte Commons, most recently in 2006.

"The new fieldhouse lawn is a beautiful setting, and we're pleased to have a chance to highlight it through the picnic," said Lynne Powe, associate director of public and community relations, who coordinates Community Day. "We also hope that picnic-goers will find it convenient for getting to the game, since the fieldhouse is just up Fairbanks Avenue from the stadium."

The picnic will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Persons purchasing tickets in advance will also receive a free ticket for admission to WindmillIsland from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day, as well as a ticket for the HopeCollege football game at Holland Municipal Stadium, which begins at 1:30 p.m.

The picnic will consist of bratwurst, hamburger, sliced turkey breast, vegetarian croissants, salads, chips, cookies, beverages and other picnic fare. Live music will be provided throughout the picnic by the Holland American Legion Band.

The West Ottawa High School marching band will be playing at the game.

Community Day is scheduled in celebration of the long-standing relationship between Holland residents and the faculty, students and staff of Hope College. The event debuted in October 1966 as a Community Ox Roast, held in conjunction with the HopeCollege centennial celebration. Like the first event, which was the idea of former mayor Nelson Bosman, subsequent Community Days have provided an opportunity for Holland and Hope to come together.

Tickets for Community Day, which include the picnic, football game and admission to WindmillIsland, cost $7.50 for regular admission and $4 for children age five to 11, with admission free for children under five.

Advance tickets for Community Day may be purchased at the DeVos Fieldhouse, 222 Fairbanks Ave., weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets will also be sold at the picnic on the day of the event. Additional information may be obtained by calling the college's Office of Public and Community Relations at (616) 395-7860 or online at the college's Web site at www.hope.edu[2].

In the event of rain, the picnic will be moved to the dining room of Phelps Hall, located on the Hope College campus at 154 E. 10th St., on Columbia Avenue at 10th Street. If the picnic is moved inside, announcements will be made online at www.hope.edu[2] and on area radio stations.